Reels are commonly used to wind fluid delivery lines, such as hoses, that are used in a number of operations that involve fluid handling. Examples of the type of fluids that may need to he handled include water, lubricants, solvents, coolants, and various gases. The reels used in such operations typically employ the use of a swivel for connecting a fluid supply line to the fluid service line, which is wound around the reel. The swivel allows for the winding and unwinding of the service line, not only for ease in using and storing the service line, but also to prevent damage to the same.
Reels are typically supported on axles that further serve as a means to allow the rotation of the reel by the user. While the reel is rotating, the axle is kept in a stationary position. Similarly, the fluid source line, which extends from a fluid source such as a water faucet, must be kept in a stationary position to prevent the twisting or damaging of the line. The swivel allows the connection between the stationary fluid source line and the rotating fluid service line. However, current swivel connectors are either a complex assembly of intricate parts, which increase associated costs and maintenance issues, or made from inferior designs that are limited in use and require frequent repair. Leaking swivels has become a common problem in the hose and reel industry, ranking among the top complaints by users of inferior designs.
In many prior art swivel designs, the rotor and housing rotate with respect to one another in a less than accurate fashion. Frequently, there is a fair amount of concentric play between the rotor and the housing, which is a significant contributor to leaks. In an attempt to provide a swivel that does not leak, various prior art designs increase the pressure on the O-ring seals within the swivel assembly. One problem with this design approach, however, is that the increased pressure on the O-rings also increases the torque required to rotate the swivel. This oftentimes causes premature wear on the O-rings, which can shorten the life of the swivel and cause premature leaking; the very condition the design sought to avoid. Moreover, such increased torque in prior designs can cause the user's hose to kink.
Prior swivel designs are also difficult to assemble. Conventional designs typically include an interrupting feature in the bearing raceway, such as a bearing opening that is cross-drilled into the raceway. Such a design makes it more difficult to assemble, which will cause an end user trouble when it is time to replace a failed O-ring seal. This may happen routinely, increasing the operational costs to the user. With prior art designs, this is a fairly complicated repair in the field and may cause more problems than it resolves.
Another design shortcoming with the bearing raceways of prior swivel designs is the level of operational friction generated by the raceways during use. Conventional raceway designs are mostly circular in cross-section and sized just larger than the diameter of the bearings used therein. Accordingly, each bearing within such a raceway engages the surface of the raceway around an entire circumferential portion of the bearing. When multiplied by several bearings within a single swivel design, the amount of friction becomes significant. Moreover, such designs typically require high precision machining, which increases manufacturing costs and the potential for faulty swivel assemblies.